‘All hell will break out,’ warns Donald Trump as Israel threatens to resume Gaza war if...

United States President Donald Trump has warned that “all hell is going to break out" if Hamas does not release all the remaining Israeli hostages it is holding in Gaza by midday on Saturday. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on February 11 threatened Hamas that he would restart the war in Gaza if the group did not go through with its scheduled release of hostages on Saturday (February 15), according to an AP report.

Meanwhile, Hamas has accused Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement. Among its accusations is that Israel has not allowed tents and shelters into the devastated territory, the report added.

Donald Trump Adds Weight to Israeli Threat

Donald Trump said that “all hell” would break if Hamas did not release the remaining Israeli hostages by “12 o'clock on Saturday”. His statement came as he hosted Jordan's King Abdullah II at the White House and exerted pressure on the Palestinian neighbour to take in permanent refugees from Gaza.

Speaking on February 10, Donald Trump said the ceasefire should be cancelled if Hamas fails to release all Israelis as per the deal — but added that this decision remains with Israel.

The US president announced grand plans for the Gaza strip, to much criticism, including expelling all Palestinians from the land and “rebuilding” it. He has also claimed that once the Palestinians are removed from their homeland, they will not have the right to return, AP reported.

Which Hostage Release is at Risk?

In the agreed ceasefire, Hamas committed to release 33 Israelis captured on October 7, 2023, in exchange for close to 2,000 Palestinians held by Israel as part of the first phase of the deal. Since January 19, 2025, five exchanges have taken place, with 21 Israelis and 730 Palestinians released, as per the report.

If the agreement and next scheduled hostage swap on February 15 falls through, the bombardment on Gaza could resume in March, amid a complicated second phase of the ceasefire agreement, it added. The second phase includes the return of all hostages and an indefinite ceasefire.

Hamas Brushes off Trump, Says Agreement ‘Must Be Respected by Both Sides’

Reacting to Donald Trump's threat, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri on February 11 said the hostage swap would continue if all parties remain committed to January's ceasefire agreement, as per an AP report.

“Trump must remember there is an agreement that must be respected by both parties. This is the only way to bring back prisoners. The language of threats has no value; it only complicates matters,” Zuhri said.

The group has threatened to delay the release of three Israelis, which was planned on February 15, after accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement.

UN's Guterres: Renewed Fighting an ‘Immense Tragedy’

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for the extension of a fragile ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, saying a resumption of hostilities “would lead to an immense tragedy.”

He encouraged Hamas to continue with swaps, saying on February 11 that “both sides must fully abide by their commitments.”

(With inputs from AP)